Portugal is definitely a marvelous country, with extraordinary views and wonderful attractions to be admired. This country along with its charming archipelagos and beautiful islands are surrounded with popularity and fame among tourists all over the world, due to their impressive beauty, excellent food, lovely atmosphere and warmth, amazing culture and traditions and the fascinating legends which emphasize its unique spirit.

The fascination and curiosity for these islands also come from the numerous legends and tales, from ancient myths that makes us even more eager to visit these places in order to discover its mysteries and to allow the truth to be revealed.

The Legend of the Seven Cities’ Lagoons is well known among the islands’ inhabitants. Legend says that many years ago, where the Sete Cidades parish is located, there was a big kingdom with a beautiful, blue-eyed princess called Antília. She felt trapped by the castle walls and left daily to walk the fields in the region, where she met a green-eyed shepherd. They talked about their lives and dreams and quickly fell in love.The king was unhappy to hear of the daily meetings and forbid them from meeting again and, devastated, she begged him to see the shepherd one last time. Moved by her grief, he allowed one last visit. The princess and the shepherd cried over their lost love as they spoke of being separated, and their tears ran down the valley. The princess’ tears formed a blue lagoon and the shepherd’s tears formed a green lagoon, together since then side by side – never united but never apart.

The Azores are also the land of ancient Gods: there lived Euphemia, daughter of Atlas and Jupiter’s granddaughter. She was very beautiful, with a pure heart and refused to marry the son of Neptune. Neptune went to war with Atlas and during the conflict the princess died. In the other world, the princess converted to Christianity and returned to Earth to spread the good. Even today, many people from São Miguel, Azores, believe that Euphemia lives in the “boiler” of the volcano that gave birth to the “Valley of the Seven Cities”. The valley appears and disappears amidst the clouds and fog.

Another legend states that in ancient times there would have been an immense continent, called Atlantis, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean , in front of the Doors of Hercules . These doors, according to ancient myths, closed the Mediterranean Sea where the Strait of Gibraltar is currently located. Atlantis would be a magnificent place, with extraordinary landscapes, a mild climate, large forests of leafy and gigantic trees, extensive fertile plains, reaching two or more harvests a year and healthy and strong animals. The inhabitants of this paradisaical land were called Atlanteans and were lords of an enviable civilization, considered perfect and rich. It had palaces and temples covered in gold and other precious metals like silver and tin, and ivory, which was abundant.

The Atlantean empire was formed by a federation of 10 kingdoms that were under the protection of Poseidon . Their people were seen as exemplary in their behavior, and they did not allow themselves to be corrupted by addiction or luxury, but they lived in a full and magnificent well being that their perfect country allowed them.
However, they did not stop practising and rehearsing themselves in the arts of war, since several people, moved by envy and the abundance of the Atlanteans, tried to invade their land. The defense battles were so successful that pride and ambition arose to expand the kingdom’s dominions. Poseidon then summoned a council of the gods to stop the Atlanteans. It was decided to impose an exemplary punishment on them. As a consequence of divine decisions, great tectonic movements began, accompanied by huge earthquakes . The lands of Atlantis trembled violently, the sky darkened as if it were night, the fire appeared that burned forests and fields of cultivation. The sea climbed the land with giant waves and swallowed up villages and cities. Soon Atlantis was gone forever in the vastness of the sea. However, as it had large mountains, they would not have sunk completely. The high peaks would have been above the surface of the waters and originated the nine islands of the Azores .

According to the legend, some of the inhabitants of Atlantis survived the catastrophe and fled to various parts of the world, where they left descendants.

Allow yourself to be charmed by these incredible tales while always travelling with Ponta Delgada Taxi!